Spectral Woods Every breath you take

if i lay here, if i just lay here

would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Like an ancient scaled predator she waited. She was a viper watching a mouse, a crocodile lurking just beneath the water, waiting for the gazelle to lower its head to drink.

The mottle coated woman was watching the comings and goings of the Oak Tree Bend wolves, somehow managing to avoid detection. It would seem they were preoccupied with another perceived threat and that suited her just fine. Every time she had scented him on the wind, seen him making his rounds she fought the urge to run forwards. If her plan was going to work she needed to wait for the opportune moment.

Her trap was baited and set, the area around the felled tree she had dug her small sleeping hole out smelled of nothing but her, the soil through which she had spent hours dragging her paws, the trunks of the trees where she dragged her flanks, small tufts of shedding fur adorning their trunks. Her skin still itched and burned although she had the feeling she had left it too late this year, everything was just about perfect.

It was after Jessie and Hotei had passed, their heads bowed in quiet conversation that she dared to dance forward, allowing her reckless actions to snap the delicate fronds of ferns and her nails to leave drag marks in the thawing earth. Her head butted against rough bark as she dared to drag her cheek down its length a clear marker for one as observant as @Triell Tainn.

Her trail would lead him back to the area she had claimed as her own and she would be waiting, if just out of sight. She had a small cache she could see to while she waited. After all she had nothing but time on her side.

 

This love is the last time

The leaves yet to form the sun beat down upon his dark coat. The breeze made the source of heat bearable, there was far too many a thing digging at him, little by little. What he was losing could not be described in one word if at all. What was the Tainn made of any more?

A huff, he finished placing his mark, and padded to his next target. A large boulder, strewn with thick moss. There another accent of his scent was placed. Diligently, he bowed his head, noisily checking for others, or the hints his children had been by. There was no such thing in this part of the terrain. It was not with satisfaction he trotted further. Something was out of place. The man froze, drawing in a deep sniff with a heavy scowl. Sure enough, he followed this specific perfume and it was heavily left on one of the Bend's trees, to the bottom, far up its length. What the hell was it doing here? Again. Tight knots in his shoulders, he hung back, in silent debate. Deep down he believed if he ignored this, she would not go away. It seemed apparent she had no mind to find him directly. Why was that? With a final glance behind him, he steadily followed the trail he had been given.

It was what laced the invisible line that made his head hurt, and his heart squirm. Afraid of the message. Of what he was walking to on the other end of the line. Attempting to keep his senses from the haze, he rushed his paws, and kept a cautious look out. This could only be trouble.

 It did not take him long to come upon her temporary claim. Making his assumptions grow. While his fiery eyes swept over the dropped tree, and large hole he did not draw closer, he did not need to. Her aroma overwhelmed the entire place hers and hers alone.

"Forgot your mountain have you?" He hollered, ears drawn to sharp points, holding onto his self-control like a shield.

are you with me through it all?

from time to time, you cross my mind

good company is hard to find

She had just finished the last mouthful of… well it was hard to tell what it had been after so long but it filled the hollow pit of her stomach none the less, when the holler of Triell came to her rounded ears. A smirk pulled at the corners of her mouth as she steadily padded back towards the place she had claimed, her head was dipped low, as a loner approaching a leader should do and her tail lazily swayed from side to side in a greeting she wasn’t entirely certain would be received in kind. Finally emerging from the underbrush her smirk morphed into a more genuine grin, a hint of flippant disregard in her tone. “Oh the mountain is no place for me anymore. I left that chapter behind a long time ago.”

Truth or not would be hard to decipher. There was still a tug in her gut that called her to the Lake but she would brush it away for now, her focus solely on the wolf that stood before her. There was a distance between them and she respected his need for it for now, as she allowed her eyes to trail over his familiar form, her nose to take in his familiar scent. There was something distinctly Triell under the tones of oak and earth and others. After so long apart he smelled like home.

She lifted a paw to move closer and then thought better of it, raising her head and meeting his fiery gaze with her own softer gold. “I’m sorry I had to go away. It… it was for the best, at the time.” She drew a deep breath and held it, her ears turning down and her muzzle tilting upward as her shoulders slumped in the very image of apologetic grace and very unlike herself indeed.

 

This love is the last time

Just like you left me.

Damn, he shouldn't feel like that now. No reason to be bitter, he had not exactly gone after her. He had longed waged this silent battle against himself, uncertain if he hadn't wanted her enough. That day, seeing the young, black pup without words the Tainn had tried to close that chapter of his life. But why in God's name did she have to grin at him like that? If there was nothing else in this world but the two of them standing here. Nothing wrong. If they hadn't been apart for so long. Just old friends meeting up again for a quiet chat. There was no such thing when Naira and he came together. There was always something brewing.

He didn't offer a retort, because that's what it would have been. Both his ears rotated nonchalant. If he should care. He was only here because she had been on his borders. Least, he was solely telling himself. There were no more favors to be given, he begrudgingly thought behind his dark facade. There should be no want nor need. She didn't quite seem the friend she had been. But, how acutely aware he was of the length between them, and he wondered if it was enough.

Thankfully, she did not draw closer as she may have in the past. For that the tension in his chest seemed to squirm less, and he felt the need to believe her. There was an offer of explanation, accompanied by what appeared to be a sincere action of regret. How easily he wanted to say, it was okay, he understood. He did not feel either. Anger was not so easily smothered. It burned behind his orange-yellow eyes, uncertain if it would be fed any further.

"If you say so," was the best he could do. "I think we both know you are not here for explanation, those aren't our fortes." They never had been, they were great at making messes. It was hoping to feel in control of the situation, he snaked toward her, a low growl churning in his throat. "What is it, this time you think you want?"

are you with me through it all?

from time to time, you cross my mind

good company is hard to find

For a moment it almost seemed as though their regular dance would take place, she would repent and he would forgive, and they would go back to their awkward best friends/both wanting more routine, but it would seem it wasn’t to be this time. She wasn’t entirely surprised. She had fucked up enough for both of them, more than enough times for him to wary of the inevitable burn she would leave in her wake. If only things could be simple again.

But perhaps they could? Never one to plan too far in advance she was good at thinking on her feet and as he moved forward with a growl she held her ground keeping her ears pinned against her neck her rump lowered not quite to a sit and her tail pulled between her legs. She presented her throat, chin tilted up exposing the white fur that ran down her chest. A small whine was offered as he closed in and she tried to choose her words carefully.

“I want to make it up to you… everything.” She offered, her eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments before allowing them to drift off over his shoulder. “Whatever you need of me. I want to show you I’ve changed…” and it was true, she had changed, although whether it was for the best or not was yet to be determined. There was a new softness to her voice, she didn’t balk at lowering herself (although that could have simply been because it was @Triell she was lowering herself in front of). She was trying her hardest to appear genuine and if that didn’t work, well she still had one more Ace up her sleeve.

(This post was last modified: Apr 10, 2015, 05:50 AM by Naira.)

 

This love is the last time

There was more than time between them now. He wasn't about to throw the life he had aside. It was already threatening to crumble.  He had long decided the world was against them. Or at least him.

When she appeared unphased the edge of his lips twitched in partial disgust, dark ears almost invisible so tightly pulled to his skull. Harshly he glared down his nose at her, half wanting to grab her muzzle and push her downward for reaction. Better to have  a hold on her as she seemed to easily have on him. She remained where she stood, submissive. It deeply bothered him to see her height low, tail tuck like a white flag of surrender, and throat bared. Was it a dare if he so wanted to hurt her to have at it? Something more? She should know he couldn't harm her. She probably did, and she was using it. This had to be another Queen's move to checkmate. He didn't understand at all. She could have had him long ago, but seemed to have tossed it aside. Though, he would always remember how he had chased after her.

The hell if she wasn't already screwing with his head, she has to say such things, look like that, and it be like this. Marginally, his brows rose, and he mouthed "Everything." Suddenly his throat felt like he had swallowed a rock, and it had ripped all the way down making his vocal chords raw. If her sudden openness, softness, made him more vulnerable than he already was. There would always be that sliver of him that belonged to her. The red warning lights buzzed in his head. He couldn't believe her. He couldn't even want to believe her. He had to hate her for everything."You're too fuckin' late." It was his turn to stiffly turn and walk away.

are you with me through it all?

whenever I touch your slow turning pain

and you're hiding from me now

It was more of an answer than she deserved, and the words cut through her facade like a knife. It was hurt that she showed until he turned his back on her and then she offered a flash of teeth at his retreating form. It only took her a moment to gather back her self control, her lips smoothing as she rose back to her regular height, ears righting themselves atop her head with a singular shake of her sizeable frame. Had she been a human she might have simply been brushing an invisible speck of dust off her perfectly pressed dress coat.

He hadn’t managed more than a few steps when she spoke across the distance between them. “We’re going to be grandparents.” Her voice held more of it’s old tone, that of someone certain and in charge of their own fate. “She’s practically alone, our @Nova.” Her features were stony giving little away. The emotional route clearly hadn’t worked so now it was all business. They hadn’t really had a chance to discuss the girls resemblance to the wolf before her and there was no real way to be certain but from the very first time she had laid eyes on the pale tuft at her daughters chest she knew she was no Aquila. It came through in her personality too. Secretly she had always been her mothers favourite.

“You can turn your back on me, but if she comes asking for help I expect you will be there for her.” It was a lofty demand and one she had no right to make, but she had never been one for respecting boundaries.

 

This love is the last time

There was a point made, and it was easy to turn his back on her, not to dwell on the pain he could have seen there. Though he wasn't sure it would have bothered him so much. He wasn't convinced  she had much of a heart any more. There was no mistaking the words that she threw at his back. They were suppose to unsettle him. They were suppose to give her back her hold. Like a whip they struck into him, trying to snake him back. Yes, he was aware of that child. The one he had briefly met on two occasions. The one that had a dark coat, yellow eyes, and a large white patch. Paws dug into the ground, rows of teeth grinding as his head dropped. Our? He had never gotten to be a real father to her, and now she wanted to announce it after all this time. Yes, she was making it a lot easier for him to hate her.

The long hairs on the base of his neck felt on end, everything ready to rise and burn the outside. If he had turned his head and looked away while the Mountain Queen and suffered. She had made her bed and she would lie in it now. Calmly, dark banner twitched, and he looked back over his shoulder. "I will offer her help should she ask it of me, but you are nothing to me, you are the one who made that clear long ago."

are you with me through it all?

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

@Triell

whenever I touch your slow turning pain

and you're hiding from me now

She heard his words and internally answered them with a cheshire cat smile that didn’t reach cold copper eyes. For the world to see however, her face instead of hardening turned soft about the corners of her mouth, her ears tipping down as if his words had caused her genuine hurt, and deflated her ego. If she truly was nothing to him he wouldn’t have felt the need to announce it to the world and she would dare to call his bluff. Her steps were tentative, her head held low as she approached closed the distance between them once more.

Her voice was soft, imploring even “You don’t mean that…” There was almost a whine of desperation as she drew nearer. Regardless of her expectation for him to physically recoil, or even lash out she kept moving towards him, no threat in her posture just wanting to touch him, if only briefly. A singular brush of her flank to his or a bump of her nose to his cheek or chin. Something real to remind him this wasn’t just a bad dream. She was really here, and she had no intention of leaving any time soon.

He could ignore her all he wanted but like a burr in his coat she wasn’t going away.